Community Giving

Whole Foods Market is a company with a conscience.  We believe passionately in supporting the communities we serve.  We believe companies, like individuals, must assume their share of responsibility as tenants of Planet Earth.  On a local basis, we are actively involved in our communities by:

• Supporting local food banks: We donate non-perishable and perishable items 7 days a week to the Lakeview Pantry, Common Pantry, Care for Real, Fiat Missionaries, and the Center on Halsted.
• Sponsoring neighborhood events and organizations, such as Andersonville Midsommar Fest, Retro on Roscoe, Summer on Southport, the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Jack Daniels Chili Cook-Off, The Reeling Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Halsted Tastes Better, Common Threads, MoveSmart.org, Heartland Alliance Refugee Nutrition Program, The Center on Halsted’s Human F1rst Fundraiser, and many more.
• SCRIP Gift Card Fundraising:
  Our gift card program allows non-profit organizations to purchase gift cards for 95% of their total cost, resell them for 100% of the original cost, and keep 5% to benefit their programs.  Participating organizations must have 501(c)(3) status.  Gift cards come in $10, $25, $50 and $100 denominations.  For details contact Bridget Mitchell, Marketing and Community Relations Specialist at bridget.mitchell@wholefoods.com

Donations

At Whole Foods Market, we are active participants in our community.  We are extremely proud of our community involvement and the relationships that we continue to make each month!  Our business is intimately tied to the neighborhood and larger community that we serve and in which we live.  The unique character of our stores is a direct reflection of the customers who shop with us.  Without their support, both financial and philosophical, Whole Foods Market would not be in business.  Our interdependence at times goes beyond our mutual interest in quality food, and where appropriate, we will respond.

Download Whole Foods Market Northalsted’s Donation Application

One Dime at a Time

Launched last spring as part of our Earth Day festivities, our One Dime at a Time program gives customers the option of donating their $0.10 bag refund to a designated non-profit organization.  Together, we can make a difference One Dime at a Time.

Download Whole Foods Market Northalsted’s One Dime at a Time Application

Community 5% Days

Our Community 5% Days are one meaningful way we give back to our community.  Once a quarter we select a 501(c)(3) organization to be a recipient of our community support day.  The day consists of in-store events, educational tables, demos, and ends with five percent of the day's net sales being donated to the benefiting organization.  Customers help support our selected organizations just by shopping on these days.

Download Whole Foods Market Northalsted’s Community Support Day Application

Previous Community Support Day Beneficiaries

• Summer 2007 - Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, http://www.caaf4kids.org/
• Fall 2007 - Museum of Contemporary Art, http://www.mcachicago.org/
• Winter 2007/2008 - The National Marfan Foundation, http://www.marfan.org/
• Spring 2008 – Special Olympics, http://www.specialolympics.org/
• Summer 2008 – Growing Power, http://www.growingpower.org/
• Fall 2008 – Shedd Aquarium, http://www.sheddaquarium.org/
• Winter 2008/2009 - Cabrini Connections, http://cabriniconnections.net/
• Spring 2009 - Redmoon, http://redmoon.org/
• Summer 2009, Healthy Schools Campaign, http://healthyschoolscampaign.org/

Coming soon...our next 5% Day Recipient, for Fall 2009, will be the Field Museum!  Check them out here.

Please be aware that due to the overwhelming number of requests, our store is unable to accommodate all donation applications that we receive.  Submitting an application is the first step in this process and does not guarantee support of any kind from the store.  Please contact Bridget Mitchell, Marketing and Community Relations Specialist at bridget.mitchell@wholefoods.com if you have any questions about donations.